Shadow Huntress - The Two Towers
by MonsterSlut
Summary: My name is Falathiel. I'm a hunter, a tracker and one of the only Shadow Elves to walk Middle Earth in thousands of years. Eleven of us set our from Rivendell as a Fellowship bound to destroy the One Ring but now we are broken. Two of us are dead, two of us captured and two choose to walk the wild alone. We will fight the darkness whilst there is still a glimmer of hope...
1. Chapter 1

**++++++ If you haven't read Shadow Huntress: The Fellowship of the Ring or Shadow Huntress: An Unexpected Journey, I suggest you do to my profile and read both of them. Thanks ++++++**

**++++++ I do not own the Lord of the Rings or any affiliated characters apart from my OC. All rights belong to Tolkien ++++++**

**One**

Three days and nights we had been chasing the fighting Uruk-Hai and we had yet to catch up to our prey. I found myself wondering if we would ever find Merry and Pippin safe and alive.

When the five of us had left Amon Hen, the shores where the Fellowship had broken at long last, I had such high hopes that we would find the lads. But now I was allowing myself a kind of false hope that never, ever did anyone good.

A company of eleven had set out from Rivendale, the house of Lord Elrond Half-elven just over two months ago. The Fellowship of the Ring we were called and an odd Fellowship we certainly were. We were led by the wizard Gandalf the Grey, a wizard of many years, much cunning and much mystery, a wizard whom I trusted with my very life.

Gandalf often took council with Aragorn, son of Arathon, a ranger from the north and also the Heir to Gondor's throne. Aragorn was the kind of man who let his deeds speak louder than his words but he also had a gift for negotiation and often used words not his weapons.

Boromir, son of Denethor, Steward of Gondor was the exact opposite. He looked at Aragorn like he was some kind of threat and looked down on me and my student simply because we were women and war was no place for the likes of us.

Breya Talathion was both mine and Gandalf's former student and elemental wizard. She could wield a sword as sharply and deadly as she could her tongue but happened to have a soft spot for all things dwarven having grown up in Lake Town, just a stone's throw away from Erebor where she now spent most of her time. I had adopted her when I accompanied Thorin Oakenshield in his quest to take back Erebor from the dragon Smaug.

Gimli, son of Gloin, the only dwarven member of our Fellowship was a great friend to not only Breya but myself as well. He didn't like the elves, nor the fact that they were a part of the quest. Since I was friends with his father, he did hold a certain respect for me.

Legolas Greenleaf, son of Thranduil, Prince of Mirkwood and I had history. When the company of Thorin Oakenshield journeyed through Mirkwood on their way to Erebor, it was Legolas and his Wood Elves that captured us and took us to his father. We were held prisoner in Mirkwood for several days before Bilbo Baggins, our hobbit thief broke us out.

In our company we swore to protect and four young hobbits, Samwise Gamgee, Meriadoc Brandynuck, Peregrin Took and Frodo Baggins, the bearer of the One Ring. Frodo had inherited the ring from his Uncle Bilbo who had found it in the Goblin Caves on our journey to Erebor. Originally it had just been Frodo who was to accompany us but Sam, Merry and Pippin had insisted they come along.

Then there was me.

My name is Falathiel and I'm an elf. I wasn't what you would call your typical elf. I was lucky enough to be blessed with the extraordinary grace, skill and beauty that all elves in Middle Earth possessed but instead of employing a skill like healing or craftsmanship, I was gifted with the ability to track and to kill. But my main skills lay in the ability to manipulate the shadows and use them to my advantage. As far as I was aware, I was the only Shadow Elf to walk Middle Earth in thousands of years. It was something that took a long time to get used to and honestly, I was still struggling to accept that I would never be like the rest. I had joined the Fellowship with my constant wold companion Ghost to protect Frodo and I had even failed that.

We had left Rivendell as a Fellowship until Gandalf fell defending us from the Barlog in Moria. From Moria we went to Lothlorien, my old home, and from Lothlorien we journeyed to Amon Hen where Boromir was killed and the Fellowship broke.

Frodo and Sam chose to go to Mordor and destroy the ring alone.

Merry and Pippin were in the hands of Saruman's fighting Uruk-Hai.

And we had given chase.

But three days and night's pursuit had brought us nothing but dust.

I did not know if we would find them alive.

"Falathiel?" called a voice, cutting me from my thoughts. When I looked up I saw Breya standing on a rock just behind Aragorn.

"What do you feel?" I asked them.

"Their pace has quickened," Aragorn replied, slowly getting up. "They must have caught our scent." He turned his head to us. "Hurry!"

Breya jumped down off her rock and landed with the skill and grace of a cat. "Come!" she shouted.

I kicked my boot to get rid of some of the dry mud on my heel and turned to Legolas. "Lost Gimli again?" I smirked as I took off after Breya.

"Come on, Gimli!" Legolas shouted as the dwarf struggled to keep up with us.

I had to admit, the fact that they had sensed us didn't bode well in our favour but I had convinced myself that we mustn't given up hope, not whilst there was some of it left.

As we ran, chasing after the vibrations that Aragorn and Breya both felt in the earth we came to a small pass surrounded by rocks and littered with boot prints. They had definitely come this way.

Aragorn knelt down on the ground and picked up a small leaf-brooch. We were all wearing them, they were the clasp to our cloaks given to us in Lothlorien by Lady Galadriel and Lord Celeborn. "Not idly to the leaves of Lorien fall."

"They may yet be alive," Legolas replied, his blue eyes twinkling with happiness.

"Less than a day ahead of us," Breya replied, her bare hand lay gently against the rock. She grinned, "come!"

I grinned and followed her.

Yes, there was defiantly still hope.


	2. Chapter 2

**++++++ I do not own Lord of the Rings or any affiliated characters apart from my OC. All rights belong to Tolkien ++++++**

**Two**

Rohan, home of the horselords.

The Uruk-Hai had turned north-east, diverging from their path and making their way towards Isengard and Saruman.

The moment we stepped over the border into Rohan, Breya's whole stance changed. I watched Breya and the only time I had seen her look so happy was when she was in Erebor. The six of us ran through the night and when the sun rose, it was blood red.

"Red sun rises," I whispered, stopping as we came over the hill.

"Blood has been spilled this night," Legolas finished.

I glanced at Breya. "It's not them."

She nodded her agreement. "It can't be them." Having grown up with all four of the hobbits in the Fellowship meant that Breya was very close with all of them. She closed her eyes and took a deep breath from the early morning air.

"What do you feel?" Aragorn inquired.

"The vibrations are different," she answered. "Not heavy and harsh like the Uruk-Hai but more fleeting and loud…like…almost like…horses." Breya opened her eyes wide. "Lots and lots of horses."

Aragorn motioned for us to hide behind a large cluster of rocks. "We do not yet know of their intentions," he warned us in a whisper. Neither Breya nor I were the kind to hide, we'd go down fighting.

My hands itched for my blades.

The elven Narylfiel and dwarven Dornessi had been gifts given in different times. Narylfiel had been one of a set given to me by the lady Galadriel, her brother, Mornenion, had been buried with Thorin when he passed. The pommel was black and made from the finest metal etched with leafy, silver vines and small rubies trailed along the vines, the blade glistened in the moonlight and the metal had 'Narylfiel', meaning 'fire brand', stamped into the metal. Mornenion had been exactly the same only decorated with sapphires instead of rubies. Dornessi however, was a blade crafted by dwarven blacksmiths. Her pommel was black with leafy, gold vines and small sapphires trailed along the vines. The word Dornessi was carved into the metal, Balin had told me that Dornessi meant queen.

Legolas placed his hand over mine and gently shook his head. "_Patience was never your strong point_."

I shrugged. No arguing with him there.

Suddenly Ghost started growling. His growls were soon drowned out by the sound of horse, many, many horses, riding over the hill.

"The Riders of Rohan!" Breya grinned.

"You two stay here!" Aragorn ordered both Breya and myself. Seeing the looks on our faces, he spoke again. "We do not know if these are honest men or if they work for Saruman."

Breya kept her hand on her sword Verya but remained back as the three of themstepped out from behind the rocks. "The Riders do not work for anyone but their lord even if he is compromised."

I glanced over at her and the necklace that sat openly around her neck. It was an amethyst rose that held a white horse in the middle and was attached to a thin white gold chain, a gift created by my father and given to her by Galadriel. "And here I thought that you only favoured the dwarves. Horselords?"

"Shut up!" she hissed.

"RIDERS OF ROHAN!" Aragorn yelled. "WHAT NEWS FROM THE MARK?"

The riders turned to circle the three men with their spears out.

Breya gripped Verya and watched intently. Her gaze seemed to be locked on the head of the rider column like she knew him.

Their leader dismounted and approached them. "What business does and elf, a man, and a dwarf have in the Riddermark? Speak quickly!"

Gimli shifted, gripping his axe. "Give me your name, horse master, and I shall give you mine."

I smirked, Gimli was very bold.

"I would cut off you heard, dwarf," he snapped, "if it stood but a little higher from the ground."

Breya slapped herself in the forehead.

Legolas drew his bow. "You would die before your stroke fell!"

It was my turn to slap my head. "And Aragorn was worried they would react to us differently."

"Agreed," Breya nodded. We got to our feet and climbed to the top of the rock.

Aragorn placed his hand on Legolas' arm and lowered it down. "I am Aragorn, son of Arathorn, this is Gimli, son of Gloin, Legolas of the woodland realm, this is Falathiel of Lothlorien, and Breya Talathion." The head of the riders turned to see both Breya and myself standing there. "We are friends of Rohan, and of Theoden, your king."

"Theoden no longer recognized friend from foe," he answered, staring at Breya. He removed his helmet. "Not even his own kin."

"Eomer, son of Eomund," Breya grinned. She jumped down off the rock and I followed, joining Aragorn, Legolas and Gimli.

"Saruman had poisoned the mind of the king and claimed lordship over his lands," Eomer answered. "My company are those loyal to Rohan, and for that we are banished. The white wizard is cunning. He walks here and there they say, as an old man, hooded and cloaked, and everywhere his spies slip past our nets."

"We are no spies!" Breya argued. "Eomer, you know me. We are no spies! We track a party of Uruk-Hai west. They've taken two of our friend's captive."

Eomer sighed. "Lady Breya-the Uruks are destroyed, we slaughtered them during the night."

"But there were two hobbits!" Gimli shouted. "Did you see two hobbits with them?"

"They would be small," Aragorn advised him, "only children to your eyes."

Eomer shook his head. "We left none alive. We piled the carcasses and burned them."

"Dead?" Gimli gasped as we looked at the plume of smoke in the distance.

He nodded. "I am sorry."

"You piled the carcasses and burned them," I spoke up, "but you did not see two children? Typical humans, you charge in, swords drawn without assessing the situation."

"I would hold your tongue, Lady Elf!" Eomer urged me.

Breya placed her hand on my shoulder. "_Falathiel, you'd be wise to hold your tongue._"

Eomer whistled bringing three horses over to us. "May these horse bear you to better fortune than their former master's. Farewell, we have other things to do."

"Eomer," Breya called out. "A quick word?"

I raised an eyebrow and watched Breya as she walked over to speak with him. "_Are you alright?_" I asked Legolas. "_That was a stupid, foolish move._"

"_Are you lecturing me on stupid, foolish things?_" Legolas asked me. He had a look of mild amusement on his face. "_You are growing up…what is Breya doing?_"

I looked over at Breya as she handed Eomer's helmet to him-only after she kissed it gently. "_Swift wings, brave heart,_" she whispered.

"Me thinks I found out why she likes Rohan so much," I muttered to myself with a slight grin. I took the reins of the horse thinking about Cedric a little. I mounted the horse, shifting a little in the saddle as to get comfortable. Breya climbed up over me. "Swift wings, brave heart?"

"Shut up and ride," she warned me.

I chuckled and watched the riders disappear over the hill. "I can double with Aragorn if you want to follow them."

She shook her head. "We have to find Merry and Pippin, dead or alive. We cannot fail at this like we did with everything else."

I nodded my agreement and followed Aragorn.

At least we weren't running anymore.


End file.
